The Beth Chatto Gardens | Flowered British Masterpiece Nearby Colchester.

The Beth Chatto Gardens is undoubtedly a great attraction consisting in a magnificent  flowered British masterpiece nearby Colchester, a beautiful town with a rich historic past which was for a period the major centre and capital of the Roman Britain during the times of the Emperor Claudius boasting in its boundaries a famous and iconic Norman Castle, one of the emblematic marvels of that superb English centre and in its immediate proximity that splendid gardened space with a fame which has nowadays reached notable peaks of notoriety elevating itself as an important tourist destination.

 
That splendid site is situated in a peaceful village called Elmstead Market in the County of Essex at just 6,0 kilometres from that relevant site in the district of Tendring in a captivating scenery in the middle of the scenic English countryside in an appealing geographic area of Southern England characterised by its numerous verdant forests, large green meadows and huge parks at just a bit more of one hour driving from London downtown.

That corner of Great Britain is a marvellous land extremely enjoyable for the picturesque images of traditional charming cottages scattered all around a very scenic countryside in villages and hamlets reminding with their intact and well preserved image the fascinating old rural England often immortalised in many paintings depicting fascinating landscapes protagonists of a highly attractive environment.

In a relaxing and very peaceful atmosphere surrounded by a stunning nature it is always a pleasure to spend a very pleasant day of tourism far from noise and traffic combining also something of alternative but extremely interesting as a visit to the Beth Chatto Gardens which is in its kind is a very special attraction.

Definitely a great idea, an excellent choice to insert in a plan of visits for all those who are planning a tailor made tour with a Fly & Drive in that area of the United Kingdom discovering something unique in its kind.

That stunning creation was a masterpiece by Beth Chatto, a talented gardener designer, author of several books, an eminent specialist about gardening, plants, flowers and everything linked to the botanical world with a special devotion to the origin, plantation and study of different species from different countries of the globe.

Ther history of that British woman is highly captivating, all started when that lady was attracted by a passion which was one of the main interests of her father and the husband  Andrew who transmitted her an everlasting enthusiasm related to those activities which later were  exalted by the innate talent of that figure completed by a continuous and incessant interest,  analysis and tests which were all together the key of an extraordinary success.

The idea, project and development of all that you can admire nowadays in Elmstead Market born some decades ago, exactly in 1960 when that woman was carefully looking at a garden next to Chatto house, a former family fruit farm. 

Mrs. Chatto saw that the soil in that area of Essex is very peculiar, including very special in its kind, in some places too dry while in others very wet, detecting that the only plants very resistant due to the formation of that kind of ground were oaks present all around that gardened space.

Very interested to all that, the talented plants woman started several botanical operations spending a lot of time with experiments, plantations, analysing in the smallest details all the compounds contained in the local subsoil. 

All those activities naturally occupied many hours during a day but that continuous fervent passion to discover more and more hidden secrets after a hard work was the first relevant stage of her professional triumph.

After further deep studies, arrangements, moving and re-moving surfaces with a right drainage and the choice of determined spaces for the plantation of trees and flowers Beth Chatto also started to be sensitive to the techniques of execution as landscaper designer dedicating time to create defined and stylish gardened layouts devoted to the development of a superb scenery which had to be the frame of future works.

The aesthetic image was another aspect extremely interesting for that figure who later was transmitted to many people with inspirations and creativity related to how to establish charming flowered compositions in a garden with style and accurate choices inventing but with criteria a setting with the placements of different floral elements with the aim and mission to capture the attention of the human eye at first sight.

All that was furthermore highlighted in published books which captured and capture the attention of a multitude of readers not only from Great Britain but also of many other English speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, U.S.A and her popularity also reached other Nations such as Holland and Germany among others. 

Notable was since then that activity as writer and simply impressive how many fans were always interested in her tips,inspiring suggestions, brilliant advises covering several topics detailly written in those publications. 

It is not a case that Beth Chatto was awarded with 10 medals in different editions from 1977 to 1987 at the famous Chelsea Flower Show of London, an important International event which became for that prominent figure one of the emblematic and unique appointments to exhibit her masterpieces showing unusual plants present in those magnificent gardens at Elmstead Market but also to meet live fans and people fond of gardening.

Apart those superb awards that lady received many other honours such as RHS Victoria Medal. OBE, Officer of the order of British Empire, Lawrence Memorial Medal and named in the Hall Fame of International Professional and Business Women becoming in her kind a sort of idol and icon. 

Definitely an outstanding and prestigious career which continues to be successful with a constant increasing audience and fame gained worldwide.

 

During the visit of those splendid gardens you will understand better how that kind of superb work is more than outstanding created on a soil of England planting different species of the most varied origin and provenance, some of them resistant to particular, specific and ideal temperatures linked to their native countries in diverse continents and all that you will see there is something simply great. 

You can admire in that site varied kinds of spaces such as the Gravel Garden, Garden, Water Garden, Woodland Garden, Scree Garden and Reservoir Garden, a very  complete environment  arranged on a surface area which covers approximately 5, 0 acres with water alpine, heavy clay, sun baked gravel, shady planting, a very large stunning mosaic with different representations and realities.

All that  is certainly a fascinating flowered British masterpiece of gardening, a composition for all those who are expert simply unique at first sight.

When you enter in the Beth Chatto Gardens you will be transported in a sort of botanical world tour walking in some corners resembling to a typical Mediterranean area and your imagination will fly towards Italy, Greece or Spain but you are in Essex-England. 

Those views will transmit you pleasant sensations admiring how those south European flora and plants are all arranged in a spectacular environment finding in addition a right habitat at another latitude on a soil which is not their natural birthplace and neither has the same compounds and properties.

An impressive aspect is also the aesthetic profile very fascinating including in the smallest details highlighting all the spaces and corners of the layouts in every section.

In another area you will enter into a natural setting typically British or Central European and it is very important to notice that area has never been watered to keep those plants in those magnificent conditions.  

All around that beautiful gardened space you will have the opportunity to admire different types of flowers such as azaleas, roses, rhododendron but others traditionally used to embellish flowerbeds, courtyards or gardens simply perfect to be established in a typical cottage country garden, mansion or villa.

Continuing the visit you will be delighted for how that creation is absolutely complete and outstanding including in the outlines with a grass very well cared just like a carpet. 

That is a further detail, it is not just the passion for plantation linked to the concrete botanical operations and processes but the protagonists are also the geometry and art to develop something of aesthetically fascinating.

Including with the combination of colours of different kinds of flowers and plants placed in specific positions and corners ad carefully selected with shaped rotundas, undulated sections or close to diverse elements.

The impression is to be in some beautiful corners of Hampton Court or Kensington Gardens, those emblematic verdant spaces of London but perhaps with a more exotic touch in those details by the views across different perspectives you can see in the other connected gardened setting you previously visited and those compositions are definitely a work by great artist.

In a very pleasant continuation you will see a group of flowers located in special, studied sites placed at a short distance from some trees while others are arranged in proximity of a little pond containing some aquatic plants. 

Also that view is spectacular for the contrast of different species coming from different lands with the sensation that all is like painted, greatly surprising is the extraordinary mix of typical British and Oriental elements is simply magnificent.

That place furthermore resembles a bit to some Parisian parks as Parc de Buttes-Chaumont or Bois de Vincennes for the floral rotundas, the green, varied vegetation which surrounds that tiny water basin which in something observing some specific points from a different perspective is also reminiscent to the wonderful and well known Englisch Garten of Munich.

That setting is a fascinating combination or continental Europe and exotic but all is in perfect harmony, including changing viewpoints looking at from different, varied positions you will see how everything is perfectly studied to capture the attention of the visitor at first sight but with the aim to transmit inspirations which is also the special message of Beth Chatto. 

Over hanging that tiny lake you can see a beautiful weeping willow tree and a little blue rowing boat added as scenic complements to that enchanting area, an image which partially is pretty similar to another well known site as Claude Monet´s  garden in his house of Giverny in Northern France.

A further attractive point is a small bridge located in a position in which the visitor will come into another section moving across that passage for a next different, beautiful view in a following environment where you can see some other stylish details as a perfect and geometric subdivision of the flower beds and determined hallways. 

In that point you will notice there something in common with those magnificent gardens you can admire on Lake Maggiore in the famed Villa Taranto at Verbania-Pallanza in Italy.

The alignment of some plants including has some links with the famous Giardino Belvedere in Lugano, Switzerland, many are are the details for concept of arrangement, combination of colours with those places and what is very attractive is an absence of bizarre or unusual contrast, everything is perfectly balanced and extremely scenic.

Also the position of a large number of trees has been perfectly thought to be matched with the rest of the floral and gardened environments flanking with their presence appealing rectangular and square flower beds. 

You will admire also the symmetry of the plantation along the passages leading to other specific corners containing other different kinds of plants where the quality of the design of the arrangement with a considerable quantity in species, different colours, variety of tonalities is something which is not often very easy to combine but all that is the right plant for the right place which is the principle and clear message of Beth Chatto.

A special feature of that place is that it is not too big, you can easily visit it in a very comfortable way, the distance between a section and another is pretty short offering the great chance to return very quickly in one point which impressed you more with extreme easiness. 

If you are fond of parks, gardens or you are gardening lover, a landscaper that site is highly recommended but it is a great experience for everybody to admire a flowered British masterpiece, great also for tourists who desire to be delighted by something of alternative in Great Britain which has in gardens a symbol with a secular tradition.  

Part of the complex is dedicated to the nursery plants and offering a wide range of products really remarkable. 

That magnificent site also provides a Tea Room, a parking, excellent facilities if you want to enjoy a cool drink or a warm beverage and to place your car very close to the entrance.

 The Garden & Nursery Opening Times is from March to end of October from 9am to 5pm with Sunday from 10am to 5pm while the other session is from November to end of February from 9am to 4pm.

Beth Chatto Gardens is not far from London and driving by A12 motorway you have to follow the indications towards Colchester and Elmestead Market reaching that site in approximately in one hour and twenty minutes. 

By train from London Liverpool Street Station is approximately the same time, once you will be at Colchester Railway Station you have to take a taxi and in just some minutes you will be at destination.

That site is suggested for all people who during a significant itinerary want to fill a day with something of very attractive with a stop during a tour enjoying during a Fly & Drive after or before the superb visit of nearby Colchester, a stunning medieval town, historic jewel of Essex and of the United Kingdom  very close, mandatory for its unique, monumental patrimony.

Beth Chatto Gardens is a great destination to combine to that marvel enjoying a splendid, complete day of tourism with the chance to see something of distinctive to add to your best trip albums considering that the gardens of England are well known all around the world for their beauty also elevated as photographic landmarks in their kinds to immortalise in a multitude of pictures taking with you lovely visual memories.

 Stansted Airport is just 50 minutes driving away, so a perfect combination to plan also a stay i the immediate surroundings of that site where you can find excellent accommodations and I added some links below indicating some of them.

Art, history, the captivating English countryside and a flowered British masterpiece are all together a splendid mix to enjoy tourism in an experience you will remember with great pleasure.

Francesco Mari


Recommended Accommodations in the surroundings

Hotel Premier Inn Colchester
Brook Red Lion Hotel
Birds Farm

Useful links

www.bethchatto.co.uk

www.visitcolchester.com
www.premierinn.com 
www.brook-hotels.co.uk/redlion 
www.birds-farm.co.uk 
www.visitessex.com 
www.essextouristguide.com